In Mechelen, Belgium, the Prize Léon Melchior, has just ended. This class was part of the CSI5* competition and was ridden over a height of 1,45m.
For the Belgian riders, the jump-off looked very promising: with top Belgian riders such as Gregory Wathelet, Jérôme Guery, Koen Vereecke and Gregory Wathelet it promised to be a very exciting jump-off. In the end seven combinations entered the ring for the exciting finale of this class at it sure was an thrilling show!
Eventually it was STX-rider Lorenzo De Luca who took home the victory. He was one of the first riders to enter the show ring and he immediately rode a very fast round, putting the pressure on the next combinations. He and his 9-year old stallion Halifax van het Kluizebos (Heartbreaker x Fetiche du Pas) left the wood untouched and finished in 29,48 seconds.
Jérôme Guery was the last one to enter the show ring for this jump-off. He jumped a very fast round with Alicante (Casall x Indoctro) but in the end, he was just not fast enough to beat De Luca. He and his 11-year old stallion crossed the finish line after 29,53 seconds. Koen Vereecke took account of the third place with Woutland Imagine (Darco x Voltaire). They left the wood untouched as well and finished in 32,25 seconds.
Holger Wulschner ended on fourth place with DSP Colfosco (Check In x Concetto). The number one of the world, Christian Ahlmann, was the first one who dared to ride the first line in four striders. This resulted in a very fast tome, but a penalty for jumping put him into fifth place.
Gregory Wathelet and Iron Man van de Padenborre (Darco x Chin Chin) could keep the zero on the score board. The same thing happened with H&M Zilverstar T (Berlin x Cavalier).This Belgian riders ended respectively on sixth and seventh place.
Click here for the results
